Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
I’ll just have to pray we’re not interrupted. For once, hopefully, things will go my way. I need this time with my woman.
“I love you,” she whispers against my lips as I place her in the car and buckle her in.
“I love ya too. More than ya know.”
CHAPTER 12
The Arrival
Deja
“All I need is for ya to explain to me why yer brother believes he should be trying to arrange a marriage for me. I’m not going to meet any of the melters he’s lining up,” I say to Uncle Ewan and Uncle Ken then roll my eyes.
We’re walking back to the castle after one of our weekly sessions. My mum said to let them help me. I’ve been doing so for the last eleven years.
My uncles are serious about my training. When I had to give up softball, I was devastated, but I didn’t complain. The message my mum left for me gave me the feeling it wasn’t wise for me to be on the world stage of softball, out in the open.
Training became an outlet for all my anger and rage. I lost my home, my parents, my friends, and my softball career all in the blink of an eye. I haven’t spoken to Kate since that last call when she told me about Jameson.
“At some point, ye will learn we all humor Duncan. Not a one of us listens to him or takes his hairbrained ideas seriously,” Uncle Ewan murmurs and snorts a laugh to himself.
“He does not tell a fib. Ignore our dear brother. Duncan has it in his head that since Mum is ill, we should help ye find a husband.
“Dinnae fash yersel. He’ll find something else to go on about soon enough,” Uncle Ken says.
“I’m twenty-nine years old. I can find my own husband, I can,” I mutter. “Maybe I should just move to America and get out of all ye hair.”
I don’t miss that all the blood drains from Uncle Ken’s face as it always does when I mention leaving and moving to America. I still don’t know what that’s about. I’ve been trying to head there since I turned twenty-one, but there’s always an excuse from one of my uncles or my great-gran for me to stay.
If my instincts didn’t tell me to listen to them all, I would be gone. However, I don’t want to jump out of the pan into the fire. For now, I’ll stay put.
Uncle Ken snaps out of it and begins to brush his hand over his hair as if trying to knock something from it. “Does it look like I have something in my hair?”
I laugh and bump him with my hip. He wraps his arm around me and gives a squeeze. I’m glad I still feel safe around these two.
“If ye take off, what will yer buddies do without ye?”
I smile as I think of Callum and Blair. They are brother and sister, twins. Ewan has been training them since they were thirteen.
They arrived around the time I did. I trusted them because they needed me and trusted me first.
They were afraid and skittish when they arrived. The two have since become my little buddies. I chuckle all the time because sometimes they behave as if they’re my personal bodyguards even though I’m five years older than they are.
I still don’t know how Ewan became their guardian. I learned to stop asking questions when it comes to Uncle Ewan. Uncle Ken and Uncle Duncan are the easiest to get along with.
Someone killed Uncle Archie just before I arrived here in Scotland, so I never had to deal with him while living here. I used to steer clear of him when I was younger.
However, Uncle Duncan is becoming a pain in the arse. My great-gran dying isn’t going to change a damn thing. I’m not marrying anyone.
I haven’t trusted anyone enough to even date. I don’t need a man, so taking that risk is unnecessary. My great-uncles may not know why, but they all know I don’t date. I don’t know how my uncle thinks I’m miraculously going to marry someone I don’t know.
“They’re twenty-four now. Maybe it’s time the three of us hit the road,” I say with a cheeky smile.
“Ye will not be walking off with my assets. Ye can forget that idea right now, lassie,” Uncle Ewan says.
I burst into laughter. To the outside world, my uncles might seem like three scary, grumpy old men. I know better.
All three have been fiercely protective and they show their love and humor in their own ways. I want to say they have earned my trust, but I’m always cautious with the lot. However, with these men, I don’t play.
I will take your head off over all three of them. Even Uncle Duncan with his matchmaking arse. I know he’s doing it out of love. My uncles are getting older, and they wish to see me taken care of.